Scott 5Alan Didak bumps AFL Review Panel
August 29th 2006 08:09
Collingwood star Alan Didak bumped Carlton player Heath Scotland unconscious in the centre of the MCG last Sunday.
The contact was head-high, reckless, of high impact and arguably - deliberate.
Yet, the AFL match review panel decided his report, by umpire Darren Goldspink, was not necessary, and declared that Didak had ‘no case to answer for’.
This decision is undoubtedly the worst-ever made by the troubled panel, which was originally commissioned to inject consistency into the AFL tribunal system.
Didak was reported for rough conduct, after delivering a bump that left Scotland dazed and with blood oozing from his face.
At the very least, Didak should have received an automatic one-match - early guilty plea offer.
Didak made severe contact with the head of Scotland. Evidence alone that the classy Magpie did in fact, have a case to answer.
Why, in this particular case, was the head of an AFL player not deemed to need protecting?
Scotland lay prone on the MCG turf as a melee broke out in the centre square. Two players are facing $2400 fines as a result of the after-bump brawl.
Yet, Didak, who delivered the bump, does not face suspension, let alone a monetary fine.
These stark inconsistencies leave AFL boss Andrew Dimitriou with no choice but to dissolve the AFL match review panel at season’s end and install an improved system.
Because without a resolution, the game – quite simply – can not go on. Players, umpires, coaches and spectators have no idea as to what constitutes a ‘fair bump’.
Avoiding specific detail, players have been sighted and suspended for front-on collisions where no contact has actually been made to the head. Other players have been suspended for making insignificant contact with the head of opponents positioned over the ball.
Didak, however, rudely and possibly deliberately ‘collected’ the head of Scotland in a bump of significant impact, but walked away to tell the story.
Something is wrong. It needs to be fixed.
Collingwood play-maker Alan Didak escaped the AFL tribunal after this bump on Carlton's Heath Scotland. Picture courtesy of The Age.
The contact was head-high, reckless, of high impact and arguably - deliberate.
Yet, the AFL match review panel decided his report, by umpire Darren Goldspink, was not necessary, and declared that Didak had ‘no case to answer for’.
This decision is undoubtedly the worst-ever made by the troubled panel, which was originally commissioned to inject consistency into the AFL tribunal system.
Didak was reported for rough conduct, after delivering a bump that left Scotland dazed and with blood oozing from his face.
At the very least, Didak should have received an automatic one-match - early guilty plea offer.
Didak made severe contact with the head of Scotland. Evidence alone that the classy Magpie did in fact, have a case to answer.
Why, in this particular case, was the head of an AFL player not deemed to need protecting?
Scotland lay prone on the MCG turf as a melee broke out in the centre square. Two players are facing $2400 fines as a result of the after-bump brawl.
Yet, Didak, who delivered the bump, does not face suspension, let alone a monetary fine.
These stark inconsistencies leave AFL boss Andrew Dimitriou with no choice but to dissolve the AFL match review panel at season’s end and install an improved system.
Because without a resolution, the game – quite simply – can not go on. Players, umpires, coaches and spectators have no idea as to what constitutes a ‘fair bump’.
Avoiding specific detail, players have been sighted and suspended for front-on collisions where no contact has actually been made to the head. Other players have been suspended for making insignificant contact with the head of opponents positioned over the ball.
Didak, however, rudely and possibly deliberately ‘collected’ the head of Scotland in a bump of significant impact, but walked away to tell the story.
Something is wrong. It needs to be fixed.
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Comment by dave
Footys a contact sport, a mans game not a non contact sport and not a girl sport.
yes a bit high free kick at best. look at it this way bit lower in the groin region is fare worse.
Comment by Glen Atwell
Computer Game
Regardless of the nature of contact and whether or not it is a 'man's game' the issues of head high contact remain the same.
Too high is too dangerous.
That was (still is?) the message the AFL conveyed to players up until Monday. If a precedent has been set, then it is open slather and we will see horrible injuries as a result.
If players are allowed to make contact with opponents - as Didak did with Scotland - and escape suspension, our troubled game has many more problems to deal with.
Comment by Anonymous
everyone complains that the game is getting soft etc and 'bring back the bump' is what people say.
then someone finally puts a good bump on a player and eveyrone jumps up and down crying that the game is too dangerous.
the bump was high, but in play and contact with the head was accidental. a free kick and a 50-metre penalty would have traditionally been the result. but now all this match review drama goes on and on.
agreed, it needs to be sorted out, but let's not become soft.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
These Australians are crazy!
Comment by Glen Atwell
Computer Game
But I'm Australian!
AFL, head-high bumps or not, is one of the toughest, most physically demanding games on the planet.
It's hard enough without hits to the head and neck injuries.
Comment by Mel
The bump was fair, a classic bump at that. Didaks arms were tucked in, and in trying to evade the bump Scotland ducked into it and unfortunately copped head high contact.
Fair dinkum its a contact sport! People talk about the game being soft, players not being hard enough, etc. but as soon as a player delivers a knock (especially if its a collingwood player) people have a bitch.
Get over it!!
Comment by dave
Comment by Glen Atwell
Computer Game
I thought head-high contact that results in a player being knocked out stone cold would mean suspension.
Whether Scotland ducked or not is regardless, when a player is on all fours over the ball and cops a knock to the head (Ray Hall - Richmond was ousted for a high knock on Damien Peverill - Essendon) they get time.
And Peverill wasn't even hurt.
Perhaps the point of this article was to highlight the inconsistencies of the AFL match review panel. Based on previous decisions, Didak should have well and truly been rubbed out.
Comment by Mel
However I do agree with you that the tribunal is inconsistent- Ablett was given a week this season for a similar incident to Didak and was only let off after an appeal. At the time of the decision the AFL seemed committed to outlawing the bump and copped much ridicule for it. Maybe now they realise that fans are all for the bump... well at least some anyway.
Comment by Glen Atwell
Computer Game
It was the Caracella incident that sparked the wave of concern and call for the head-high bump to be dealt with severely.
Either way, the AFL match review committee is inconsistent. Without doubt. Based on previous decisions, Didak should have served AT LEAST a week.
The fans are for the bump - below the head. We don't watch AFL for its barbaric nature, not many people like seeing players prone on the ground.
Look what happened to Caracella? How could you possibly support not getting suspended for above the neck contact?
Comment by Joe Blogg
Joe Blogg's Blog
manchesterunited
collingwoodfootballclub
Whacking Carrton players & their supporters should be a national sport.